Singletree



. Patented Mar. 2|, |899.

R. R. PIGG.

SINGLETREE.

' (Application med oct. 8, 189e.)

(No Model.)

r 1 l ..."mA` ini. A Y

. UNITED STATES PATENT'l OrricE.

EEUBEN Ross rice, or Mccov, oEEGoN.

SINGLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,503, dated March21, 1899.

Application inea October 8,1888. serrure. 683.028- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN ROSS PIGG, a citizen of the United States,residing-at Mc- Coy, in the county of Polk and State of Oregon, haveinvented'a new and usefulSingletree, of which the following is aspecincation.

The invention relates to improvements in singletrees.

The object of the present invention 'is to improve the construction ofsingletrees and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive oneadapted to yield to theforward movement or pull of a draft-animal andcompensate for the jerking motion ot` a horse, and thereby overcome theirregular and jarring motion of a vehicle.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and

pointedvoutvin the claimshereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a singletreeconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a reverse planview of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional view takentransversely of the singletree and showing the same applied to thecross-bar of a pair of thills. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View ofone of the plates of the sections of the singletree. Fig. 5 is asectional view taken longitudinally of the singletree.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l l designate sections of a singletree provided at their outer ends withmeans for attaching a pair of traces to them and pivoted at their innerends within a central sleeve or casing 2, which forms a central section,by means of vertical rivets or bolts 3. These sections 1 ofthesingletree have a limited pivotal movement independent of the sleeve orcasing to yield to the irregular motion of a draft-animal and aremaintained in the p0- sition illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompany'-ing drawings, when the singletree is not subjected to strain, by acoiled spring 4, located in rear of the sleeve or casing and connectedwith a pair of arms 5, extending rearward from the inner ends of thesections 1. When the sections are subjected to a forward strain,

the spring yields and prevents horse motion from being communicated to avehicle. The arms 5,which are preferably formed integral with plates 6,are provided at their outer edges with shoulders 7, adapted to beengaged by loops 8 of the ends of the spring, whereby the latter is'adapted to be adjusted to and from the outer ends of the arms toregulate its tension.

The plates 6, which are secured to the lower faces of the sections ofthe singletree, eX- tend beyond the inner ends of the same and projectinto the sleeve or casing, being adapted to engage the front and rearwalls thereof to limit the independent movement of the sections 1. Therear wall of the sleeve or casing is provided at its terminals withslots or recesses, through which project the arms 5 of the plates 6, andthe latter are provided with integral spacing-sleeves 6a, receiving thebolts 3, to prevent the same from wearing and to keep the sections 1 ofthe single= tree from becoming loose. The singletree is mounted on thecross-bar l1 of a pair of thills by a pivot 12 and is supported by ayoke or bracket 13, composed of .upper and lower loops, embracing,respectively, the singletree and the cross-bar. The intermediate arm 14of the bracket or yoke is interposed between the upper face of thecross-bar and the lower.

face of the sleeve or casing. A The outer ends of the sections 1 may beprovided with devices other than those shown for retaining the traces onthe singletree, and the plates 6 are preferably provided at their innerends with lugs 15, located at the opposite edges of the sections. j

The invention has the following advantages: The singletree, which issimple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, possesses thestrength and durability of an ordinary whifletree, and it is adapted tocushion a draft-animal and prevent the irregular or jerking motion ofthe same from being communicated to a vehicle. The tension of the springmaybe readilyregulated, and the improvements are applicable todoubletrees as well as singletrees.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any ofthe advantages of this invention.

IOO

l. A device of the class described comprising a central section, theWhiffietree-sections pivoted near their inner ends to the centralsection and arranged to engage the front and back of the same to limittheir pivotal movement, and a spring for cushioning thewhifiletree-sections, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a central sleeve, thesections pivoted Within the sleeve and having their inner ends arrangedto engage the Walls thereof, 'whereby their pivotal movement is limited,arms extending from the sections through the rear wall of the sleeve,and a spring connecting the arms, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a sleeve or casing, a pairof sections pivotally mounted on the sleeve or casing and having alimited :movement independent of the same, arms extending rearward fromthe Ytially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

REUBEN ROSS PIGG.

l/Vitnesses:

E. E. HoLooMB, VALLET MACKEN.

